This invention relates to specimen collection, and in particular to a specimen collection kit having multiple pouches, one of the pouches being severable from the other and being reusable after having been opened.
Specimen collection for testing of biological fluids is a necessary part of any significant test work done on any patient. In its simplest form, a specimen collector comprises a container with a removable cover. Once a sample has been collected and the cover reapplied, the specimen collector is transported to an appropriate facility where sampling takes place.
More complex sampling apparatus has also been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,404 describes a liquid specimen container which has not only a receptacle for fluids, but also an integral sampling portion therein. The specimen container of this patent is normally provided with one or more air-evacuated vials which are used to collect portions of the specimen in the container. The specimen container, the vials and cleansing towelettes are all provided in a simple plastic bag for transporting of these items. Once one or more of the vials has been used to withdraw a portion of the specimen, the specimen and container is typically discarded, the vials are returned to the plastic bag, and the vials are then transported for further analysis and/or testing.
One of the problems of using a simple plastic bag is the fact that the bag cannot be resealed. Also, the bag carries the vial, the specimen container and the towelettes, and therefore is not internally sterile. It is preferable to separate the vials from the specimen container, and also provide some means of resealing the vials in their plastic bag once the specimens have been withdrawn.